Minister recognises the contribution of technical textiles
One of Portugal’s ministers for overseas trade has paid tribute to the contribution that textiles, and specifically technical textiles, have made to the country’s trade surplus.
In recent comments to specialist media, Eurico Brilhante Dias, whose portfolio is the internationalisation of the Portuguese economy, said the country’s textile industry was strong thanks to a commitment to modernise it at the end of the 1980s.
Since then, he said, Portuguese textile manufacturers have continued to seek ways of adding value to their products, which is what has led to its strong position in technical textiles.
Textile manufacturers now employ more than 130,000 people in Portugal, the minister said.
The wider footwear and apparel sectors have a trade surplus of almost 200%, Mr Dias said.
